THE BLOCKADE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 3 December 1940, Page 4

THE BLOCKADE

AFTER completing a six- weeks’ tour of the Balkan Statesm an American correspondent of a New York journal has said, “Everywhere I found that an overwhelming majority of informed opinion, both civil and military, holds the unshakable conviction that Britain and the Democracies will win the war.” The informant did not say on what this opinion was based, but probably it was founded on the knowledge that Britain’s maritime blockade is effective, and that in the end it will prevail. The people of the Balkans have some knowledge of the economic conditions prevailing in Germany. They also know the effect which the maritime blockade is having upon the everyday life of the German and Italian nations, and that that effect is likely to grow greater as the blockade is prolonged and increases in effectiveness. That it is increasing and will still further increase in effectiveness is shown by the broadcast of the Minister in charge of it, Dr. Hugh Dalton. Dr. Dalton said there were not going to be any holes in it, as there were last time. They were trying to ensure that nothing reached those countries under German and Italian domination. The United States was also tightening up her export policy in an endeavour to improve the efficacy of the blockade. Dr. Dalton described Italy as a “vulnerable liability.” There is no doubt that she is notoriously short of some of the essential materials of war. The Minister of Economic Warfare estimated that the Nazis had now used up most of the material plundered from the occupied countries and were to-day

in much the same position regarding supplies as they were six months ago—or worse. Apparently he thinks that Germany cannot squeeze much more raw material that is useful out of the territories she dominates. Dr. Dalton cited several essential products—particularly oil—which Hitler’s conquered countries will not yield him. Though an elaborate organisation is being built to supply food to Continental countries as soon as they become effectively free of German domination, there is no prospect of the blockade being lifted in any way at all. Dr. Dalton made this quite plain. The people of the Empire will be behind the British Government in this. Instead, the pressure on Germany and Italy is going to be applied relentlessly.